Over the years, various sunshade devices have been developed for providing shade to sunbathers or the like. Conventional umbrella-type devices are still widely used by beachgoers, homeowners, and commercial establishments such as restaurants, hotels and resorts, as a means to provide shade to the user against the sun's rays. However, such devices do not provide shelter from other elements, such as, wind.
Others have devised sunshades, which are designed to attach to beach chairs. However, the reality is that most people do not bring chairs or lounges to the beach: they enjoy lying on the sand.
Another prior art shade is a ground-supported shade having an adjustable canopy. A further example is a portable, freestanding shelter for hunters and the like that is of generally frusto-conical configuration and has a base and upwardly inclined sidewalls terminating in an open top. The sidewalls are defined by a plurality of panels of generally triangular or trapezoidal configuration, having top and bottom edges connected by upwardly convergent opposite sides. Hinged connecting means interconnect adjacent sides of the panels in articulated relation so that the bottom edges of the panels define the base of the shelter and the top edges of the panels define the open top thereof. The connected panels may then be arranged into various configurations, including a substantially open shelter or screen, or a closed or partially closed shelter as desired.